The Poland Euro 2024 squad has been announced, with Robert Lewandowski hoping to inspire his nation once more.
But Poland's problem isn't in reaching European Championships - 2024 will be their fifth finals outing in a row, including as 2012 co-hosts alongside Ukraine - but in achieving anything remotely good once they get there.
They have won only two of 14 games in normal time over the previous four tournaments - both at Euro 2016 when they reached the last eight by beating Northern Ireland and Ukraine, then Switzerland on penalties. Poland have otherwise suffered group-stage exits, and something drastic would have to change if they are to avoid stinking out the gaff again in Germany this year.
It's going to be a tough ask to replicate the last World Cup, and get through the group stage at Euro 2024. Wojciech Szczesny was the hero in Cardiff in March in the play-off final against Wales, but now comes the hard work: France, the Netherlands and Austria are coming up for the Poles, in the groups.
Michal Probierz's final 23 includes notable absences. Asotn Villa star Matty Cash didn't make it to the preliminary selection, former West Brom midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak won't get a chance to add to his 100 caps, while Birmingham's Krystian Bielik won't be at the tournament, either.
Perhaps most notably, Juventus forward Arkadiusz Milik has pulled out with injury – but there are still quality players in the final group. Robert Lewandowski is 35 and still capable of game-changing moments, Jakub Kiwior has enjoyed a good season with Arsenal, while Nicola Zalewski and Piotr Zielinski are two familiar faces to Serie A fans. Szczesny will be staying between the sticks but Nice custodian Marcin Bulka is included and definitely one for the future.
The Poles are unbeaten since last September but now is where things really intensify. They're going to have to be at their best to get to the knockouts this time in what will surely be Lewandowski's final Euros: as one of the best European players of a generation, they'd love to give him a big sendoff.
This will be Poland's seventh consecutive major tournament appearance in all – they also featured at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups – and, as with every Euro 2024 side, FourFourTwo will bring you all the latest as we report live from the European Championship. That includes information on how to watch every game, as well as details on all the fixtures.
VIDEO: All You Need To Know About Euro 2024
Poland Euro 2024 squad
Poland Euro 2024 squad: The 26-man team
- GK: Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus)
- GK: Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna)
- GK: Marcin Bulka (Nice)
- DF: Jan Bednarek (Southampton)
- DF: Bartosz Bereszynski (Empoli)
- DF: Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal)
- DF: Tymoteusz Puchacz (Kaiserlsuatern)
- DF: Bartosz Salamon (Lech Poznan)
- DF: Pawel Dawidowicz (Verona)
- DF: Sebastian Walukiewicz (Empoli)
- MF: Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin)
- MF: Piotr Zielenski (Napoli)
- MF: Przemyslaw Frankowski (Lens)
- MF: Sebastian Szymanski (Fenerbahce)
- MF: Jakub Moder (Brighton)
- MF: Damian Szymanski (AEK Athens)
- MF: Nicola Zalewksi (Roma)
- MF: Bartosz Slisz (Atlanta United)
- MF: Michal Skoras (Club Brugge)
- MF: Jakub Piotrowksi (Ludogorets Razgrad)
- MF: Taras Romanczuk (Jagiellonia Bialystok)
- MF: Kacper Urbański (Bologna)
- FW: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
- FW: Karol Swiderksi (Verona)
- FW: Krzysztof Piatek (Istanbul Basaksehir)
- FW: Adam Buksa (Antalyaspor)
Poland Euro 2024 predicted XI and formation
Poland Euro 2024 squad numbers
Poland fixtures and results
March 21: Poland 5–1 Estonia, Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland
March 26: Wales 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) Poland, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
June 7: Poland 3-1 Ukraine, Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland
June 10: Poland 2-1 Turkey, Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland
June 16: Poland v Netherlands, Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany
June 21: Poland v Austria, Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany
June 25: France v Poland, Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany
Poland manager: Michal Probierz
Michal Probierz is used to working with underdogs, having achieved his best results at 2009/10 Polish Cup-winning minnows Jagiellonia Bialystok. Promoted to the top job from the Under-21s after Fernando Santos' dismissal, the 51-year-old went unbeaten in his opening six games. "It's not about playing, but winning," he says of his solid style.
Poland’s star player
Robert Lewandowski
Arguably the finest forward of his generation, Robert Lewandowski probably rivals Zbigniew Boniek as Poland's greatest ever player but he has never come close to staring at an international tournament.
The rot began on home soil way back at Euro 2012. The Barcelona striker, who is 36 in August, may feel this is his last shot at making things right.
Most likely to...
Be referred to as Welsh party-poopers.
Least likely to...
Here commentators pronounce their names correctly, especially Szczesny. For the record, it's 'sh-chels-neh' (ish).
What they hope will happen
They emulate the team that finished third on German soil at the 1974 World Cup, with Lewy lifting the Golden Boot just as Grzegorz Lato did 50 years ago.
What will happen
They emulate the team knocked out of their group on German soil at the 2006 World Cup, with Lewy faltering again.
FAQs
How many players are Poland allowed to take to Euro 2024?
The Poland Euro 2024 squad will be made up of 26 players, after UEFA announced in May that the expanded team size will remain for the tournament, having initially wanted to reduce them back to 23.
